optimal time of day for training during Ramadan: a review study

Literature concerning the effects of Ramadan fasting on sports performance presents conflicting results. In this context, some studies reported a significant impairment of sports performance during the month of Ramadan. However, other studies suggested that Ramadan fasting has no significant effect on physical performance. The discrepancies between the studies could be explained by time-of-day variations in testing. In this regard, recent studies reported that Ramadan negatively affects the afternoon sports performance; however, the morning and the evening [after breaking the fast] performances were not affected by fasting. This suggests that the optimal time of day for training during Ramadan is the morning or the evening. Therefore, coaches should schedule the training sessions in the morning or evening during the month of Ramadan. However, further studies should investigate the effect of training at a specific time of day on sports performance during Ramadan

Biochemical responses to level-1 Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test in young Tunisian football players

The aim of this work was to investigate the metabolic and muscle damage responses after the level-1 Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test [YYIRT] in young football players. Fifteen male football players [17.42 +/- 0.2 yrs, 69.91 +/- 4.4 kg, 178.64 +/- 3.8 cm; mean +/- SD] participated in this study. Fasting blood samples for various biochemical parameters [i.e. lactate [Lac], glucose [GLC], triglycerides [Tri], creatine kinase [CK], uric acid [UA]] collected from a forearm vein after 5-min of seated rest and 3-min after the test. Moreover, rating of perceived exertion [RPE] and maximal heart rate during and after the YYIRT were recorded. Mean levels of the selected biochemical markers were raised after the YYIRT exercise [P<0.001 for the other markers]. Moreover, lipid parameters increased significantly after the test [P<0.01 for Tri and P<0.001 for HDL]. These findings confirm the higher metabolic demand of aerobic as well as anaerobic metabolism and reflect a significant mobilization of purine cycle during the YYIRT. The increase of muscle damage markers also reflects the higher anaerobic solicitation. From these findings, we can conclude the importance of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism during soccer-specific endurance performance [i.e. YYIRT, soccer match]

effects of music on high-intensity short-term exercise in well trained athletes

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of listening to music during warm-up on short-term supramaximal performances during the 30-s Wingate test in highly trained athletes. Twelve young male athletes [20.6 +/- 1.8 yrs, 177 +/- 4.4 cm and 72.3 +/- 5.3 kg] underwent two Wingate tests in separate sessions with a recovery period of 48 h in-between, either after a 10 min of warm-up with [MWU] or without [NMWU] music. High tempo music [> 120 to 140bpm] was selected for the study. Heart rate [HR] and rate of perceived exertion [RPE] were recorded after the warm-up [for HR = average of warm-up] and immediately after the Wingate test. HR, RPE and the fatigue index during the Wingate test are not affected by the incorporation of music during warm-up. However, power output [P[peak] and P[mean]] was significantly higher after MWU than NMWU [p < 0.05]. The relative increases were 4.1 +/- 3.6 and 4.0 +/- 3.7 W·kg[-1] for P[peak] and P[mean] respectively. These findings demonstrated the beneficial effect of music during warm-up on short-term supramaximal performances. As it's a legal method and an additional aid, music may be used during warm-up before performing activities requiring powerful lower limbs' muscles contractions during short-term supramaximal exercises

Effect of short-term maximal exercise on biochemical markers of muscle damage, total antioxidant status, and homocysteine levels in football players

Prolonged physical exercise results in transient elevations of biochemical markers of muscular damage. This study examined the effect of short-term maximal exercise on these markers, homocysteine levels [Hcy], and total antioxidant status [TAS] in trained subjects. Eighteen male football players participated in this study. Blood samples were collected 5-min before and 3-min after a 30-s Wingate test. The results indicated that plasma biochemical markers of muscle injury increased significantly after the Wingate test [P<0.05]. Moreover, significant increase of white blood Cells and their main subpopulations [i.e. monocytes, neutrophiles, and lymphocytes] [P<0.001] has been observed. Likewise, uric acid, total bilirubin, and TAS increased significantly after exercise [P<0.05]. However, Hcy levels were unaffected by the Wingate test [for 3-min post-exercise measurement]. Short-term maximal exercise [e.g. 30-s Wingate test] is of sufficient intensity and duration to increase markers of muscle damage, and TAS; but not Hcy levels. Increases in the selected enzymes probably come primarily from muscle damage, rather than liver damage. Moreover, increase of TAS confirms the Wingate test induced oxidative stress

Diurnal variations in physical performances related to football in young soccer players

This study investigated the effects of time-of-day on aerobic and anaerobic performances during the Yo-Yo, repeated sprint ability [RSA] and the Wingate tests in young soccer players. In a counterbalanced and a random order, twenty junior male soccer players completed the Yo-Yo, the RSA, and the Wingate tests at two different times-of-day: 07:00 and 17:00 h. During the Yo-Yo test, the total distance [TD] covered and the estimated maximal aerobic velocity [MAV] were determined. The peak power [PP] during each sprint, the percentage of decrement of PP [PD] and total work [Wtotal] during the RSA test were, also, measured. In addition, during the Wingate test, the peak [P[peak]] and mean [P[mean]] powers were recorded. During the Wingate test, P[peak] and P[mean] were significantly higher at 17:00 than 07:00 h [P<0.05] with diurnal gains of 3.1 +/- 3.6 and 2.9 +/- 3.5% respectively. During the RSA test, PP during the first two sprints, Pdec and Wtotal were, also, higher in the evening [P<0.05] with amplitudes of 4.8 +/- 4.6, 3.1 +/- 3.0, 13.1 +/- 32.1, and 4.1 +/- 2.5% respectively. Likewise, TD and MAV during the Yo-Yo test were higher at 17:00 than 07:00 h with diurnal gains of 13.1 +/- 10.7 and 4.2 +/- 3.3 respectively. The present study confirms the daily variations of both aerobic and anaerobic performances during the Yo-Yo, the RSA, and the Wingate tests in trained young Tunisian soccer players

Effects of morning caffeine' ingestion on mood states, simple reaction time, and short-term maximal performance on elite judoists

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the ergogenic effect of caffeine ingestion on mood state, simple reaction time, and muscle power during the Wingate test recorded in the morning on elite Judoists. Twelve elite judoists [age: 21.08 +/- 1.16 years, body mass: 83.75 +/- 20.2 kg, height: 1.76 +/- 6.57 m] participated in this study. Mood states, simple reaction time, and muscle power during the Wingate test were measured during two test sessions at 07:00 h and after placebo or caffeine ingestion [i.e. 5 mg/kg]. Plasma concentrations of caffeine were measured before [T0] and 1-h after caffeine' ingestion [T1] and after the Wingate test [T3]. Our results revealed an increase of the anxiety and the vigor [P<0.01], a reduction of the simple reaction time [P<0.001] and an improvement of the peak and mean powers during the Wingate test. However, the fatigue index during this test was unaffected by the caffeine ingestion. In addition, plasma concentration of caffeine was significantly higher at T1 in comparison with T0. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that morning caffeine ingestion has ergogenic properties with the potential to benefit performance, increase anxiety and vigor, and decrease the simple reaction time

effect of Ramadan fasting on physical performances, mood state and perceived exertion in young footballers

This study was designed to assess the effects of Ramadan fasting on the profile of mood state and perceived exertion in young soccer players and aerobic and anaerobic performances during the Yo-Yo, repeated sprint ability [RSA] and the Wingate tests. Twenty junior male soccer players completed the Yo-Yo, the RSA, and the Wingate tests on three different occasions: one-week before Ramadan [BR], the second week [SWR] and the fourth week [ER] of Ramadan. The total distance [TD] covered and the estimated maximal aerobic velocity [MAV] during the Yo-Yo test were recorded. During the RSA test, peak power [PP] during each sprint, the percentage of decrement of PP [PD] and total work [Wtotal] were calculated. During the Wingate test, peak [Ppeak] and mean [Pmean] powers and fatigue index [FI] were recorded. TD and MAV [P=0.01] during the Yo-Yo test and PP [P=0.01, P=0.004, P=0.001, P=0.01, P=0.03 for sprints 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively] and Wtotal [P=0.02] during the RSA test were significantly higher during BR than ER. Furthermore, muscle fatigue during the RSA test increased significantly from BR to ER [P=0.01]. Ppeak and Pmean during the Wingate test decreased significantly from BR to SWR and ER [P<0.0005]. FI was higher during SWR [P=0.001] and ER [P<0.0005] than BR. In addition, rating of perceived exertion scores and fatigue estimated by the profile of mood state questionnaire were higher during Ramadan in comparison with BR. The present study suggests that both aerobic and anaerobic performances during the Yo-Yo, the RSA and the Wingate tests were affected by Ramadan fasting in young soccer players